Gov. Kathy Hochul acknowledged likely state power shortfall with clean energy project delays and growing needs, but officials unveiled plan for smaller reactors at Sept. 5 energy summit—three years after close of controversial Indian Point facility.

But project development continues in the state—with builder Skanska gaining a $861M NYC port upgrade contract—and in the US, with federal lease auctions now set for offshore Maine and Oregon as first of 12 through 2028, and NJ announcing it will seek up to 4 GW capacity add.

Guiding the state’s push to reach nation-leading goals in clean energy deployment, the chief of the NY State Energy Research and Development Authority acknowledges the “heavy lift” ahead amid construction headwinds but says the challenge to mitigate climate change is "compelling."

First installed turbine at the 132-GW South Fork project off the New York coast has now sent wind energy to the state grid, with first power flow also imminent at the 800-MW Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts and other state projects pushing past ongoing constraints.

Energy and resilience megaprojects starting and planned in New York and New Jersey pose big logistical challenges but will generate economic and quality of life benefits, said public and private industry experts at Sept. 15 ENR forum in New York City.

NYSERDA, which is running the clean energy contracting for the state, is a particularly crucial entity considering both Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s clean energy agenda and the "essential" status of utilities projects even as the pandemic continues.